Device for locking the transmissions of automobiles, trucks, and other motor vehicles



Dec., 20, 1927. 1,653,549

J. H. COREY DEVICE FCR LOCKING THE TRANsMIssIoNs oF AUTOMOBILES,

TRUC s LES K OTHER MOTOR VEHIC Fi March 16, 1925 Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES l 41,653,549 T OFFICE.

PATEN JAM'EsHrcEs ooREY, or GREENVILLE, NORTHv CAROLINA.

DEVICE FOR LOCKING THE TRANSMSSIONS 0F -AUTOMOBILES, TRUCKS, ANI) OTHERMOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed March 16, 1925. Serial No. 16,084.

device of this character which will Jautothe transmission when thematically lock is thrown to off position ignition switch if the parts oftral position, or if not in neutral 'position will set up a vibrationclearly audible to the operator of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide-a device which when lockedmay be unlocked only by the insertion of the proper key.

A vide a device which isn of simple construction, eflicient inoperation, inexpensive to manufacture and applicable to the conventionaltypes of transmission locks as for example on the Buick automobile.

Referring to the accompanying which are made apart hereof and on whichsimilarl reference characters indicate simi-l lar parts, *Y

/ Figure 1 is a `horizontal section showing the application of myinvention'to -a transmission lock, and t Figure 2, a diagrammatic view.As shown in the drawings a transmission cover 10 is provided with anopening l11 in which is mounted a lock 12 having a plunger 13 projectingthrough said cover and adapt ed for engagementin a recess in a slidableelement (not shown) of the transmission. The transmlssion cover 10 withthe openingA 11 is `of conventional construction however the usual lockis removed and the lock 12 inserted in lieu thereof. vA spring 14 isdisposed within the opening 11 laround the plunger 13 and said springnormally projects or pulls the plunger 13 downwardly into position tolock the transmission. .Any desired means may be employed for securf mgthe lower end of the spring 14 to the casing'l() and the upper end ofthe spring to the lock 12 or its associated plunger 137 however I haveshown a collar 43 having a flange 44 extending over a portion of a coilof the spring and secured in the bottom of the opening 11 by a screw 45,and I have shown the upper end of the spring extending into an opening46 in the upper portion of the plunger 13. The casingv for thel thetransmission are in neufurther object of the invention is to proidrawings j lock 12'is provided with a slot 15 into which a screw 16projects for preventing rot-ation of said casing.

The transmission cover or housing for the lock 12 is provided with a.rec-ess 17 for engagementby a spring latch 18 of the lock. lVhen thelock is in the downward position the latch 18 engages the recess 17 andholds the lock in such position until the key is inserted and the latchis retracted.

IVhen the plunger13 and its supporting lock are in the elevated positionthe gears may be ymanipulated as is usual in the operation of a motorvehicle and to maintain the` parts so elevated I provide a plunger 19adapted for engagement in a recess 2O in the lock 12. 'The lock 12 isalso provided with a recess above the recess 2O in which is located aninsulating block 21 for insulating the plunger 19 when the lock is inthelowered position.

The plunger 19 extends through a sleeve 22 of insulating materialmounted in the housing 10 and also extends through a second sleeve 23also composed of insulating material supported by a disk 24 in one endof a substantially horizontally disposed housing'25 which is secured bya collar 26 of insulating material is supported in face contact with thedisk 24 on the sleeve 23. .A

coiled spring 28y is disposed around the plunger 19 with one end inengagementwith the disk 27 and its other end bearing against a washer 29held against longitudinal movementv on the plunger 19 by means of a pin30.

A pair of alined electro-magnets 31 and 32 are supported in the housing25 and are l provided with cores 33 and 34 respectively. Theelectro-magnet 31 has one end of its cores 33 fastened to but insulatedfrom the outer -end of the'plunger 19 while the o-ppovs site end of thecore 33 is disposed lin a. sleeve 35 of insulating material threaded onthe contiguous enlarged end of the core 34. The enlarged end of core 33is slidable freely in the sleeve 35 and has a sufficient longitudinalmovement to permit the plunger 19 to be withdrawn from the recess in thelock 12. Electro-magnet 32 with its core is fixed to the outer end ofthe housing 25. The coils of the electro-magnets are joined around orexternally of the sleeve 35 and a larger sleeve 36 is mounted aroundsaid joint within the' casing to prevent the connection from short niocircuiting. The wire from the electro-magnet 31 is grounded in theenlarged end of the plunger 19 as shown.

` As illustrated in Fig. 2 the ignition switch 37 is -provided with apair of contacts 38 and 39 which are bridged when the switch is in offposition. The Contact 38 is connected with the Contact 40 having directconnection with a battery 41 and the contact 39 is connected with theelectromagnet 32'through a contact 42 on the end of the housing 25.

In the operation of the device when the ignition switch 37 is in theposition shown in Fig. 2 current will flow from the battery 41 throughthe switch 37A and Contact 43 to the ignition and the lock 12 will beheld elevated by the plunger 19 as shown in Fig. 1. When the ignitionswitch is turned to the olf position current will flow from the battery41 through contacts40, 38, switch 37 and contacts 39 and 42 to theelectromagnets 32 and 31 and cause the core 33 of the elec tromagnet 31to be attracted withdrawing the plunger 19 from the recess 26 in thelock 12 whereupon the lock' casing will be pulled downwardly by thespring 14 causing the plunger 13 to engage a depression in the slideplates (not shown) of the transmission to prevent further manipulationthereof. At the same time the end'of the plunger 19 will engagetheinsulating block 22 in the recess of the lock at the same time'thespring latch 18 of the lock will engage the recess'17 and secure thelock 12 in its depressed position.

Should the transmission not be in the neutral position when the ignitionswitch is in the off position lock 12 will not move downwardlysuiiicient to 'permit the end of the plunger 19 to be insulated againstthe block 22 and the plunger 19 will travel back` and forth or vibrateat a higlrrate of speed causing an audible sound whereupon thetransmission may be moved to neutral position.

, It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changesmay bemade in my device without departing from the spirit of theinvention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown inthedrawings and described in the specification but only as indicated'in theappended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as'new anddesire to secure by Letters Patenthis:

1. A locking device for the transmission of an automobile comprising aplunger', means adapted to move into .engagement with said plunger forholding thelsame in elevated position and adapted to move out ofengagement with the same, for permitting the plunger to be depressed,and means for operating said last-mentioned means upon the breaking ofthe ignition circuit, substantially as set forth.

2.y Thecombination in an automobile having a transmission of an ignitionswitch, spaced contacts on said switch adapted to be bridged forpermitting electrical current to f of the second-mentioned contacs onsaid switch whereby when the switch is turned to said position thesolenoid will be energized to retract the locking plunger, substantiallyas set forth.

3. Thecombinat-ion in an automobile having parts to be locked in fixedrelation `and an ignition circuit of a bolt for locking said parts,means for holding said bolt in unlocked position, and electrical meansfor releasing said holding means to permit said bolt to be moved tooperative position upon the breaking of said ignition circuit,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in an automobile having parts to be locked in fixedrelation of locking means for said parts, an ignition circuit, a lockingcircuit, means for operating said locking means upon the completion ofsaid locking circuit, and the means for com ,pleting said lockingcircuit upon the opening of the ignition circuit, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination in an automobile haw ing parts to be locked in iixedrelation of? locking means for said parts, an ignition circuit, alocking circuit, means for operating i said loclung means upon thecompletion of said. lockingcircuit, and means for completing the lockingcircuit upon the opening of the ignition circuit, and means on saidlocking means to break the locking circuit upon the completion ofthe'locking operation, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I. have herei'intoset my hand and seal atGreenville, North Carolina, this 14th day of March, D. nineteen hundredand twenty-live.

J. HICKS oonnv. [1.. 5.]

